Contents

Understand

Table Mountain National Park consists of the greater Table Mountain chain on the peninsula, stretching from the well known Table Mountain behind Cape Town south to Cape Point. In incorporates Table Mountain, Tokai Forest, Silvermine, a large area around Cape Point as well as a number of marine protected areas.

The park is busy with ongoing restructuring and development. New areas are constantly being added to the park in an effort to link the separated portions and expand the park. It is useful to know for orientation that the park is not a continuos landmass, but consists of various patches across the cape peninsula.

Cape Hope is part of the Table Mountain National Park. This famous geographical landmark, however, is not the southern tip of the Cape Peninsula - that would be Cape Point, which is nearby and also part of the park. Cape Hope is also not the most southern point of Africa, which is actually Cape Agulhas in the Overberg, where the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean meet.

Flora and fauna

Ostriches near Cape Point.

The Cape Peninsula offers some typical fynbos vegetation. In the reserve are also a number of ostriches and antelopes. Please be aware of the baboons. They are used to people and often steal objects from tourists. Do not feed them!!! If a baboon approaches you, keep all food well hidden, and walk away facing the baboon but do not make eye contact. But as long as they are not attacking you, please leave them alone in their natural habitat (photos are allowed).

Get in

The various elements of the park are easily reached by car. The cable car up Table mountain can also be reached via public bus from Capetown's Civic Center or by taxi.

Fees/Permits

There is currently no single pricing structure for the various areas of the park, but this is set to change in the near future. Some sections of the park do not require any fees to be paid, specifically the access on foot to Table Mountain is free.

Areas that do charge fees are:

Cape Hope / Cape Point section

Boulders ( One can see the penguins without having to pay any fees, but an entry free is charged to the penguin's private beach.)

Silvermine

Oudekraal

Perdekloof picnic site

Newlands picnic site

Tokai picnic site

Cable car up table mountain.

Check the South Africa National Parks (SAN Parks) website at www.sanpark.org for actual fees, which are subject to regular updates. Book cable car trips online to get a discount. Wild Card users get free access to the elements of the park for which entry fees are charged and a discount for the cable car.

Get around

The various elements of Table Mountain National Park are not connected by bus, so use your own means of transportation.

Within the Cape Point section of the park, use your own transportation to get access to trails that can be used for walking.

See

Cape of Good Hope.

Cape Point.

Signal Hill and Lions Head.

Do

Hiking. - there is e.g. a faboulous walk from Cape Point to Cape of Good Hope, which takes about one hour. If you are really fit, you can also take a walk up table mountain, starting from close to the lower cable car station. This would require roughly three hours per direction.

Scuba diving.

Buy

There is a small curio shop located at Cape Point

☎082 5226056.

Eat

Table Mountain

Table Mountain Restaurant, On top of Table Mountain, close to the Upper Cable Station. hours. A 120 seat, self service restaurant. No booking required. EnjoyFrom R20 for a simple breakfast.

Cape Point

Two Oceans Restaurant, ☎+27 (0)21 780-9200 (info@two-oceans.co.za, fax: +27 (0)21 780-9060), [2]. Open 9AM to 6PM during October to April and 9AM to 5PM during May to September.

Lodging

Camping

Backcountry

Stay safe

Baboons can be dangerous!

Be aware of approaching chacma baboons at Cape Point. They regularly attack tourists. They won't hurt you much, but steal food and other things from you. If one approaches you, walk backwards slowly, facing the baboon. When driving past in your car or stopping nearby, close all windows!